It was love at first sight for me when I heard about the No Limits Café concept. Would you share with our readers what makes your initiative so special?

We are a café with a difference! As well as being a vibrant, welcoming café that’s open to the public, we are showcasing the skills of our diverse team, and changing misconceptions one coffee at a time!

We provide employability skills and work opportunities for adults with additional needs in the area, including barista skills, food hygiene, and customer service. Because we are in a central location and open to the public, our work experience team experience a ‘real life’ café setting. Every time you buy a coffee and cake or lunch and brunch at No Limits, your money goes straight back into our project providing more opportunities.

What connections do you feel the cafe has formed in the local community so far?
We work alongside colleges, and many other community organisations such as Eat That Frog, Bales Buddies, Kingscare, The Community Support Team, and Tissues and Issues. 

One initiative we are particularly proud of is our ‘Pay It Forward’ token scheme, where customers can purchase an extra hot drink, sandwich, or soup and leave a token for someone in need at the front of our café. We have various people access these tokens and it’s encouraging to see the word being spread and those in need benefiting.

What difference is the café making to the lives of those that work and volunteer there?
We have already supported almost 40 people, some of which have gone on to the Kickstart Scheme, back into education, or onto further work and volunteering opportunities. However, the biggest difference we see in our team members is their self confidence and self-esteem developing during their time with us. Their newfound confidence also expands into life outside the café; many widen their social circle, especially as we also run a monthly social group where team members past and present are supported in activities enabling them to form new friendships. 

What’s next for No Limits?
You couldn’t have asked this question at a more exciting time for us! We have recently started working with Newton Abbot Community Interest Company, and together we are developing a second venue for No Limits within The Courtenay Centre. We are excited to be working together and opening a second space to the public. Please come and visit us!

Find out more about this great initiative online at www.nolimitscafe.co.uk